Officials with South African gold miners unions say workers are going back to work Friday after settling the biggest strike to hit the sector in 18 years.

Officials from the leading National Union of Mineworkers and the smaller Solidarity union accepted management's pay offer late Thursday and agreed to return to work. The settlement includes a wage increase of between six and seven percent.

More than 110,000 miners were involved in the strike, which began Sunday.

The miners demanded better pay and working conditions. They typically earn just over $350 per month, and work under hazardous conditions in some of the world's deepest mines.

Officials estimated the strike was costing South Africa's gold producers about $20 million a day.